Modern vehicles include electronic control modules and diagnostic systems for monitoring the status of associated vehicle equipment. Information conveyed by the diagnostic systems has become more standardized, assisting in the evaluation of vehicle conditions and identifying appropriate repair procedures.
A diagnostic tool may be connected to a Data Link Connector (DLC) to retrieve diagnostic trouble code(s) or DTC associated with a malfunction or problem that the vehicle is experiencing. A technician can use the retrieved DTC to look up information relating to the malfunction. The technician may look up the information in a repair manual or database storing information associated with the DTC to identify the malfunction or a possible component failure corresponding to the DTC.